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For more movie summaries, see Kam's Kapsules.
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"After the Sunset": No Surprises in This Superficial Cat-and-Mouse Caper
Review by Kam Williams
Jewel thieves Max Burdett (Pierce Brosnan) and Lola Cirillo (Salma Hayek) quietly retired to Paradise Island in the Bahamas after successfully stealing two priceless stones from a set of three gems known as the Napoleon Diamonds. The couple are enjoying their ill-gotten gains at a beachfront cottage where they reminisce about having pulled-off perfectly-planned heists.
Though they have never been tempted to abandon their idyllic oasis for another big score, an irresistible opportunity arises when the last Napoleon diamond arrives in port aboard a highly-publicized "Diamond Cruise." However, also new to town is Stan Lloyd (Woody Harrelson), the FBI agent who has been stalking Max and Lola for the seven years.
Stan works closely with Sophie (Naomie Harris), the detective assigned to protect the remaining Napoleon diamond. Max and Lola are soon in cahoots with an altruistic underworld kingpin (Don Cheadle) who wants the stone in order to alleviate the suffering of the island's impoverished indigenous population.
As interesting as this set-up might sound, its execution by Brett Rattner leaves a lot to be desired. This is disappointing since he's the acclaimed director of Rush Hour 1 and 2. In comparison to his other films, After the Sunset is more tired than inspired.
The repartee is witless, the jokes fall flat, and the plot thins instead of thickens. The production substitutes cleavage for character development, featuring scads of scantily-clad, empty-headed models. The movie is given to a litany of homophobic "It's not what it looks like" jokes.
Fair (1 star). PG-13 for sex, expletives, and violence. Running time: 100 minutes. Distributor: New Line.
end of review.
For more movie summaries, see Kam's Kapsules.